Conservatories vs Orangeries: Which Is A Better Option For Your Customers
When advising homeowners, the choice between a conservatory vs orangery often hinges on style, cost, performance, and planning constraints. At Worcester Trade Frames, our comprehensive product range covers both options, helping your business deliver tailored solutions that balance client expectations with technical efficiency.
What Is a Conservatory and What Is an Orangery?
A conservatory is a predominantly glazed structure attached to the house, typically featuring a low brick base with walls at least 50% glass and a glazed roof covering more than 75% of its surface.
In contrast, an orangery combines brick pillars or walls with a solid or flat such as lantern style roof, traditionally featuring less than 75% glass overall. That distinction impacts aesthetics, thermal performance, and planning costs.
Difference Between Orangery and Conservatory: Key Design Elements
The fundamental difference between a conservatory and an orangery lies in structure and proportion. Conservatories champion maximum daylight with large glazed walls and pitched glass roofs, creating a bright, airy feel ideal for garden views.
Orangeries use more masonry, giving a stronger ‘extension’ look thanks to brickwork integrated with the home, topped by a central glazed lantern. This makes them appear more substantial and integrated, with greater privacy and insulation for your customers.
Orangery Meaning & Conservatory Definition: Origins and Uses
Historically, the orangery’s meaning traces back to 17th-century garden buildings used to overwinter citrus trees, made partly of brick with large windows and often a glazed roof lantern.
What is a conservatory? It evolved from orangeries in the 19th century, featuring fully glazed structures with pitched roofs that housed plants and later became sunrooms.
Performance Comparison: Conservatory vs Orangery
• Thermal efficiency: Orangeries, with brick walls and insulated flat roofs, typically outperform conservatories in winter comfort.
• Aesthetics and privacy: Conservatories offer panoramic garden views, whereas orangeries provide a cosier, room-like feel.
• Cost: Conservatories are generally less expensive; orangeries, with masonry and enhanced detailing, demand higher budgets.
• Year-round use: Thanks to solid roofing, orangeries provide more balanced seasonal usability.
Using the Right Extension for Your Customer
Choose a conservatory if your clients are seeking cost-effective, light-filled spaces that extend living areas into the garden, such as for summer dining or plant displays. However, you can recommend an orangery when clients want higher insulation, year-round usability, and a structure that blends more seamlessly with the main building, which is ideal for living rooms, dining areas, or studies.
Trade Advantages with Worcester Trade Frames
As a supplier, Worcester Trade Frames supports installers with both conservatory and orangery solutions. Our extensive conservatory range including tiled, solid, and lantern-style offerings whereas our high quality orangery systems are available with unified brickwork, uPVC framework, and lantern roofs. For financiaol support, use our trade quoting engine and get in touch with us for support.
Final Verdict: Matching Choice to Project Brief
The difference between conservatory and orangery often comes down to client priorities. For brightness, affordability, and garden-connected flexibility, conservatories are ideal. For structural substance, insulation, and architectural integration, orangeries are preferred.
Worcester Trade Frames enables installers to offer both, paired with tailored advice and supply support, so you can meet diverse customer requirements with confidence. Give us a call on 01905 20555 to disuss your needs.
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